A world-changing trial

Over the past five years, the four-day week has seen an incredible journey from the fringes to the mainstream, emerging as one of the most exciting workplace policies to be adopted by organisations worldwide. The central idea, shortening working hours for no loss in pay, might once have clashed with the received wisdom of dominant burnout culture – that working more = working better – but following the success of pilot schemes around the world, overwhelmingly positive research, and societal shifts driven by Covid, working time reduction appears an increasingly ‘common sense’ approach to the world of work. Frustrated by poor work-life balance, and more accustomed to the flexible working patterns brought about by the pandemic, for many the four-day week has only become a more popular and enticing prospect.

At the start of 2022, the 4 Day Week Campaign, 4 Day Week Global and Autonomy began recruiting companies and non-profit organisations to participate in a six-month trial. The design of the trial involved two months of preparation, with workshops, coaching, mentoring and peer support, drawing on the expertise of those who had already implemented four-day weeks in their own companies and individuals who had helped companies shift to shorter working hours. Participating organisations were asked to provide a small donation to help defray the costs of running the trials. In addition to support with preparation, the trials offered research, conducted by independent academic researchers at Boston College, University of Cambridge and Autonomy.